Verses on Dhamma 5.15.p14

5.15.p14

Athassa pavāretvā vuṭṭhavassakāle upajjhāyo satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā vanditvā āha – ‘‘ahaṃ, bhante, tissasāmaṇerassa santikaṃ gacchāmī’’ti. ‘‘Gaccha, sāriputtā’’ti. So attano parivāre pañcasate bhikkhū ādāya pakkanto, ‘‘āvuso moggallāna, ahaṃ tissasāmaṇerassa santikaṃ gacchāmī’’ti āha. Mahāmoggallānatthero ‘‘ahampi, āvuso, gacchāmī’’ti pañcahi bhikkhusatehi saddhiṃ nikkhami. Etenupāyena mahākassapatthero anuruddhatthero upālitthero puṇṇattheroti sabbe mahāsāvakā pañcahi pañcahi bhikkhusatehi saddhiṃ nikkhamiṃsu. Sabbepi mahāsāvakānaṃ parivārā cattālīsa bhikkhusahassāni ahesuṃ. Te vīsatiyojanasataṃ maggaṃ gantvā gocaragāmaṃ sampattā. Sāmaṇerassa nibaddhūpaṭṭhāko upāsako dvāreyeva disvā paccuggantvā vandi.

Now his preceptor Sāriputta, having kept residence during the rainy season and celebrated the terminal festival, approached the Teacher and having paid obeisance to him, said, “Reverend Sir, I am going to visit the novice Tissa.” “Go, Sāriputta,” said he. As Sāriputta set out with his own retinue of five hundred monks he said to Moggallāna, “Brother Moggallāna, I am going to see the novice Tissa.” Said the Elder Moggallāna, “I will go too, brother,” and set out with his retinue of five hundred monks. Likewise all the Chief Disciples, the Elder Mahā Kassapa, the Elder Anuruddha, the Elder Upāli, the Elder Puṇṇa, and the rest, set out each with his retinue of five hundred monks, the total retinue of all the Chief Disciples amounting to forty thousand monks.

When they had gone a distance of twenty leagues, they came to the village which was the novice’s resort for alms. The novice’s regular personal attendant saw them, came to meet them at the village gate, and paid obeisance to them. The Elder Sāriputta asked him, “Lay disciple, is there a forest hermitage in this neighborhood?” “Yes, Reverend Sir, there is.” “Is there a monk residing there?” “There is, Reverend Sir.” “Has he monks with him, or has he none?” “He has, Reverend Sir.” “What is his name?” “The Elder Vanavāsī, Reverend Sir.” “Very well, show us the way there.” “Who are you, Reverend Sir?” “I have come to see my novice.”